Recruiter political skill and organization reputation effects on job applicant attraction in the recruitment process

Abstract

Purpose Researchers have identified various recruiter and organization characteristics that individually influence staffing effectiveness. In extending contemporary research, the purpose of this paper is to address a straightforward question unexamined in previous research, namely, does recruiter political skill interact with organization reputation to influence applicant attraction in the recruitment process? Specifically, the authors hypothesized that for recruiters high in political skill, as organization reputation increases, applicant attraction to the organization increases. Alternatively, for recruiters low in political skill, as organization reputation increases, there is no change in applicant attraction to the organization. Design/methodology/approach Three studies were conducted to create the experimental manipulation materials, pilot test them and then conduct tests of the hypotheses. Study 1 created and tested the content validity of the recruiter political skill script. Study 2 reported on the effectiveness of the recruiter political skill experimental manipulation, whereby a male actor was hired to play the part of a recruiter high in political skill and one low in political skill. Finally, Study 3 was the primary hypothesis testing investigation. Findings Results from a 2×2 between-subjects experimental study (N=576) supported the hypotheses. Specifically, high recruiter political skill and favorable organization reputation each demonstrated significant main effects on applicant attraction to the organization. Additionally, the authors hypothesized, and confirmed, a significant organization reputation × recruiter political skill interaction. Specifically, findings demonstrated that increases in organization reputation resulted in increased applicant attraction to the organization for those exposed to a recruiter high in political skill. However, the effect was not for a recruiter low in political skill. Research limitations/implications Despite the single source nature of data collections, the authors took steps to minimize potential biasing factors (e.g. time separation, including affectivity). Future research will benefit from gathering multiple sources of data. In addition, no experimental research to date exists, examining political skill in a laboratory context. This finding has important implications for the growing research base on political skill in organizations. Practical implications First impressions are lasting impressions, and it is very costly to organizations when recruiters lose good candidates due to the failure to make a memorable and favorable impression. This paper supports the use of political skill in the recruitment process and highlights its capability to influence and attract job applicants to organizations successfully. Originality/value Despite its scientific and practical appeal, the causal effects of political skill on important work outcomes in an experimental setting have not been formally investigated. As the first experimental investigation of political skill, the authors can see more clearly and precisely what political skill behaviors of recruiters tend to influence applicant attraction to organizations in the recruitment process.

Corporate social responsibility and job applicant attraction: A moderated-mediation model

“…However, these researches have focused on formal employees rather than job seekers as potential formal employees, only a few have examined that employers can attract job seekers by transmitting information about CSR activities in the recruitment process [ 7 , 8 ]. Job applicant attraction refers to a job seeker’s positive attitude or overall impression of the organization or perception of the organization as an ideal group to establish a relationship [ 28 ]. In the labor market, job seekers have asymmetric information about prospective employers, and they search for information that signals what the potential employers to which are applying [ 29 ].…”

“…Employer reputation is the perception of its values and activities by its major stakeholders, and indicates the status of an organization’s name and brand relative to competing organizations and adds value to a job beyond the attributes of the job itself (e.g., work content, pay) [ 30 ]. From the job applicants’ perspective, employer reputation refers to job applicants’ overall evaluation and perception of an organization as a potential employer [ 28 ]. It incorporates both the cognitive reputation and emotional reputation, specifically by delays in perfect high talent attraction, improving social, environmental, other public affairs, and so on [ 28 , 31 , 32 ].…”

“…From the job applicants’ perspective, employer reputation refers to job applicants’ overall evaluation and perception of an organization as a potential employer [ 28 ]. It incorporates both the cognitive reputation and emotional reputation, specifically by delays in perfect high talent attraction, improving social, environmental, other public affairs, and so on [ 28 , 31 , 32 ]. Previous research related to employer reputation has been studied mainly in the marketing field [ 32 ].…”

Unzipping the psychological arsenal of a magnetic recruiter

“…The review is based on “Recruiter political skill and organization reputation effects on job applicant attraction in the recruitment process: A multi-study investigation” by Lawong et al (2019), published in “Career Development International”. This research paper focuses on the relationship between a recruiter’s level of political skill and an organization’s reputation when measuring the success of an organization’s recruitment efforts.…”

“…Skilled and knowledgeable people are an organization’s golden ticket to building and maintaining an edge against their competition, resulting in the prevalence of the often cited phenomenon of a war for talent between organizations. A research paper by Lawong et al (2019) aims to determine how the political skill of recuriters and an organization’s reputation interrelate to influence the extent to which candidates are attracted to join an organization via the recruitment process. The individual politically skilled behaviors that successful recruiters employ are uncovered by the authors to crystallize the organizational value they add by applying their communication skills and experience of successful candidate attraction and conversion strategies.…”